Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea
Observation - Mucuna gigantea subsp. gigantea - Southern Africa. Description: This creeper has grown rampantly over a grove of Hibiscus tiliaceus. The leaves are on the outer part of the canopy, but interestingly, some flowers are borne in the understory about 2-3 m above ground level. The clusters of flowers are carried on long (u
This creeper has grown rampantly over a grove of Hibiscus tiliaceus. The leaves are on the outer part of the canopy, but interestingly, some flowers are borne in the understory about 2-3 m above ground level. The clusters of flowers are carried on long (up to 300 mm long) pedicels. The pale jade-green flowers hang below the calyxes which are covered in rusty brown stinging hairs. This species produces one of our drift seeds, and that is probably how this plant became established near this beach.